Cloud computing is the use of computing resources (hardware and software) which are available in a remote location and accessible over a network, such as the Internet. In some arrangements, users are able to buy these computing resources (including storage and computing power) as a utility on demand service. Cloud computing entrusts remote services with a user's data, software and computation. Use of virtual computing resources can provide a number of advantages including cost advantages and/or the ability to adapt rapidly to changing computing resource needs.
Some computations can be accelerated through the use of a co-processor, including accelerators implemented with reconfigurable logic (e.g., in a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). FPGA developers typically connect a local host computer with a specialized interface to external pins of a local FPGA supporting a JTAG interface in order to accelerate functions mapped to the FPGA. Thus, using such accelerators in a cloud computing environment, which typically lacks FPGA-specialized hardware and security features, presents ample opportunity for improvement.